The Venue

Do you know that there's a new floating restaurant in Davao City? Yes, that's right! It's called THE VENUE.

Last Saturday, I was one of the invited guests to the dinner party sponsored by one of the developers in Davao. It's supposedly an incentive for those who had productions during the 3rd quarter of 2011. I was told that it will be at the ferry boat port in Km. 11, Davao City.

Well, we often go to Samal, so I knew where exactly to go. I've seen the ferry people work on this boat for months and finally it's ready for business. :)

I was supposed to bring at least 2 people and since John can't stand the noise (of the loud music) , I brought mama and my sister , Pearlie with me.

Let me share with you the photos I took.

                                       Mama and Pearlie,  at the entrance of the Floating Restaurant.

                                                          The Reception Area.

                                                                      Yours truly.. :)

                                             The bar counter at the roof top. (3rd floor)

                       The dance floor was filled with people trying to relax on a Saturday night.

                                             The ferry boat going to Samal Island.

                                                  The bar on the 2nd floor near the dance floor.

How To Go There:

If you don't have a car, just take a taxi to the Ferry Boat Port in Km. 11, Sasa, Davao City. Once there, tell the guards that you are going to The Venue. They will point you to a separate gate leading to the restaurant.

Other Details:

Ticket Cost         : Php500.00 including dinner

What to Bring    : (other than money - op kors! hehe..  ) jacket or drape. Geee.. the sea breeze is so 

                              cold at night, you might not like it!

Sailing Time      :  8:00 p.m. - 11 p.m.

                              (if you don't like to be in the sea on a very dark night, then it's not for you...)

Theme                :  It varies each Saturday. Sometimes it's accoustic night. I think most often , they

                              invite a DJ for the party. So it's really loud.

I'm not much of a party person and I can't stand a really loud sound, so I guess once is enough for me. But for the experience, you should try it!  I think on accoustic nights, the soft melody of the song coupled with the cool sea breeze and good food, would be relaxing....

                                                          Lea C. Walker

                                                  leawalker.blogspot.com

                                                www.davaoproperties.com

  

   

Toyozu Mountain Resort

Toyozu Mountain Resort is located in Nabunturan, the capital of Compostela Valley. The region's main income is derived from mining of gold, silver and copper. Travel time from Davao City is about 3 hours.

The whole family and I went there sometime in 2006. I am so glad I found some photos through my flickr album because it reminded me how much we loved the place.

From Davao City, we passed by Panabo , Davao del Norte. Then, Tagum City and Mawab, before reaching Nabunturan. From the main town, we travelled about 30mins , on the way to the resort. I remember seeing a "lemonsito" farm. I thought that maybe, that's where the lemons in Davao City come from. :) It was a comfortable ride because the roads were mostly concrete. Plus the lush green scenery of the mountains and the forests was such a beauty to behold. You know, the more I think about it, the more I realize that Mindanao is indeed a gem.

We, Mindanaoans, are blessed with hotspring, coldspring, waterfalls, spectacular mountain ranges, beautiful lakes. And the beaches, specially in the East Coast, wow... I simply have no words for it. And then of course, let's not forget the rich minerals that thrive underground. Bottomline - when God gave away blessings, He remembered us. :)

We just have to take the time to enjoy these things. Dip in the hot and cold springs. Paddle our boats in the lakes. Fish in our mighty river and seas. Walk in the sand. Be excited with the adventure to the unknown. And have fun, in the process...

I had my first van in 2002, a Mitsubishi L300, which was awarded to me by my previous boss. Since then, my family and I , have been to places that most people would not go because it's tiring. :) It does not bother us though. My oldest nephews, Matt and Blaire,  who are now 12 years old started travelling when they were 3. Blaire was diagnosed of slow development. He got sick when he was 6 months old and the antibiotics left a mark in his brain. :( But if you see him, you would not know that he has a problem. He can't speak well and has difficulty in writing, but other than those, he's intelligent and caring. He grew up to be as normal as any kid in the block because we treated him that way. He can swim better than I do. haha... He's a great basketball player. And he's more adventurous than we are! :) So if you meet my nephews, they can be your local tour guide. I am not kidding. :) Matt tells me often that he's bored. I guess, that's our fault. Because they're so used to going anywhere since we take them wherever we go. But then again, that's pretty normal for ordinary families in the Philippines. Our motto - walang iwanan. :)

So we finally arrived at the resort. The fee was very minimal. It was only P30.00 per head. Maybe it's a little bit higher now. We paid for a cottage also - Php150.00 . And a private jacuzzi type pool for P500.00 . They have a bigger swimming pool and everybody uses it for free. Of course, it's better when you have your own right? Enjoy the hotspring without the noise of other people. :)

This is how it works. From the main source, the owner of the resort put up some small concrete canals that goes directly to each of the pool. It can be adjusted by closing the canals that has hot water. If it gets really hot, then you can use the hose that contains cold water to make it cooler.  It's very ingenous if you ask me. :)

Then, there's the Natural Steam Bath. I loved it! :) It's supposed to eliminate toxins from our body. Well, I tried it hoping that it would burn my fats away... ha ha ha. I got soaked with perspiration. So I think it worked. LOL


RANDOM PHOTOS:

                                     One of the water sources. :)

                                Dandan, Marjun and Matt. :)

                                            Marco,  at 1 year old! He's 7 now. With Adette. :)

                                               Pearlie and Marco.

                              Papa, John, Nanay Ligaya and Mama.

Neighborhood kid (left side),  Matt (in green) and Blaire (Blue) @ 6yrs old. :) With papa, Marco,   Pearlie and Ruben.  :)

Thank you flickr.com for saving these photos. :)




                                                              Lea C. Walker
                                                      leawalker.blogspot.com
                                                   www.davaoproperties.com

Lake Agco Resort

December 2008 :

Our neighbor does a yearly repair/upgrade of their house. That year was no different. Her husband comes home from the US for holidays. Good news for them. :) Terrible for us. The noise of the workers , the banging of their hammer and (due to the busy-ness of the place), their dog won't stop barking. We couldn't rest. At all...

 I think most of us don't realize how difficult that is for others, specially when you have migraine. :)

So that's the reason why John and I decided to leave our house. We packed our bags and drove the starex towards Kidapawan.

Me being me, I researched online about the place. Sad to say though, there isn't much news about it. Or about its resorts, for that matter. What I found was Lake Agco Resort. It's supposedly at the foot of Mt. Apo and can be reached by any vehicle. Meaning, no walking for me. Yay! 

So off we went to Kidapawan. You'd think it's scary since you know, Mindanao is not safe. According to the news, that is. :) But then again, not everything you see on tv or read in the news is true. The reason why I stopped reading or watching one is that "there is no good news".  Parang nakakasawa na ano?  Puro bad news na lang... Hay naku!

So let's go back to our trip. This is what happens when you wake up at 4 in the morning. Your thoughts are flying everywhere. LOL

I always love road trips. But this one is different. We had no maps. And we're not familiar with Kidapawan. We just relied on the goodness of our "kababayans".

Kidapawan is just a 3 hour drive from Davao City. If you're driving fast, you can do it in 2 hours. But with me around, you can't do that. John calls me "lola" because I prefer a slow drive. That way, I can take pictures and enjoy the scenery.

The view from Davao to Digos is beautiful. If you see the sugarcane plantation with the mountains as a backdrop, you will understand what I'm talking about. 

And then the rubber farm in Makilala, with the trees so tall and the cool temperature , it makes travelling more enjoyable.

Finally we saw the big "Welcome To Kidapawan" sign. And this is where the fun begins. I mentioned earlier that we had no maps right? So we started asking for directions.

The first person we talked to said, turn right beside the church. And follow that road. Then ask again when you see more people. Uh-huh?! What exactly does that mean, I thought. After we said thank you, we followed his direction.

We were driving in an unfamiliar (but with a beautiful view), road. It felt eerie at first because the place was so quiet and there were no people. Or so I thought.  And then here comes the crowd. Well, when you're in the Philippines, you'd see people everywhere even if you're in the middle of the forest. :) What was I thinking!

I realized too that the man actually gave us the right direction! haha

Ok, so we asked again. The boy pointed us towards the mountain, using his lips. We were glad that we're on the right track. :) After several kilometers of rough and rocky road, (sounded like an ice cream huh?! haha...) , we still have no idea where we are.

So we asked again, the man said 3 more kilometers. I thought, finally! Well we passed by 3 kms more and this resort was still nowhere to be found.

And then somebody made sense, Manang said that we have to go up to Mt. Apo. Because that's where Lake Agco is. John and I looked at each other. It's like "can our junk-ex (John's name for our starex) make it?" . I said, we're here already so the least we can do is try... hehehe.. We've been trying for more than an hour, you know...

I am so glad we continued with our trip because the view was breath taking. I cannot show you the pictures though because it was part of those I lost. It felt like I lost a part of my life when our hard drive crashed. A lot of beautiful memories, gone forever.. :(  Thank God, I am not that old yet. I can still remember some of the details. That's why I'm making a chronicle of our travels now incase I get amnesia someday. he he..

So up we went. The air became thinner. The forest was covered with thick fog. I was so amazed with the nipa houses I saw on the hills. I wondered what's their mode of transportation going to the main road? Or do the locals just walk? If so, that's like hours of walking.. Tsk.. tsk.. Or do they have horses?

I'm sure they do.. Maybe? I don't know..

After a very long drive, we finally reached the resort. Since it's christmas season, the place was packed with people frolicking in the swimming pool. The place has several cottages and a small "carenderia type" store where you can order food. After reading their menu, we ordered fried chicken. It's so common you can never go wrong with that right? hehe.. When I'm hungry, I dont experiment. :)

This is the only photo I can share with you. I borrowed it from the ones I submitted through ImagesPhilippines. I am so glad that they kept it.

                                     Thank you Images Philippines for keeping my picture.

Lake Agco, the water source of the Mountain Resort, is a steaming blue lake where the hot and cold water converge. This is at the foot of Mt. Apo after all, so it is natural to have a hotspring. :)  

After lunch, John and I decided to go back. That time, they had no comfortable cottages for overnight stays yet. Maybe this time they've made new developments already? Holler if you know so I make an update! :)

We wanted to get away from the noise for several days but I guess it wasn't meant to be. The trip, tiring it may be, was a blast! It was our first time to be near Mt.Apo, the tallest mountain in the Philippines. That alone was an experience to remember. Not to mention the adventure to the unknown. :) And the fun of asking people for directions.. Ahh.. it was all worth it!

Ours was a classic, "it's not the destination that matters, but the trip going there"...

                                                            Lea C. Walker

                                                    leawalker.blogspot.com 

                                                  www.davaoproperties.com

You Heard It First From Me.. :)

On November 25, 2011 - VILLA SENORITA will start bulldozing the roads of the subdivision. Following that, will be the construction of their Model Houses which will start on December 17, 2011. I am so happy with these developments because I have a lot of clients who bought from them based on their pre-selling price. This means then that there is an impending price increase in the near future due to the new developments in the area. For those who want to buy a house, this is one good opportunity you should not miss. Below are the links to their model houses.

     http://www.davaoproperties.com/HFS-143.html
     http://www.davaoproperties.com/HFS-165.html
     http://www.davaoproperties.com/HFS-221.html
     http://www.davaoproperties.com/HFS-310.html

PALMETTO CONDOMINIUM

Building # 2 is being constructed as of the moment. The target turn over date is 3rd quarter of 2012. Early next year, Bldg 3 will start its ground breaking and construction as well. As of the moment, we are giving 5% outright discount when you purchase whether you pay in cash or installment basis. But an additional 7.5% discount is given on Cash purchase. Of course! :)

    http://www.davaoproperties.com/HFS-149.html
    http://www.davaoproperties.com/HFS-198.html
    http://www.davaoproperties.com/HFS-290.html

ECOLAND 2000

Who would forget Ecoland 4000? That's the beautiful condominium project located in Ecoland near SM.

Now, its developer will be constructing 7 condominiums in a 2 hectare property at the back of One Oasis. The plan is still on-going so I cannot give you the prices yet. The prices will be more or less between 2 to 6M for a 30sqm - 87sqm units. You know what, each building will have 15 floors with amenities every 5 floors. So for those who want condominium units near SM in Ecoland overlooking Davao Gulf and Samal Island, email me now throughlea@davaoproperties.com .


BUENA VISTA

That's spanish for Beautiful View. :) No, we're not having spanish lesson today. That's the name of the new condominium in Maa, Davao City. This will kick off next year. So be prepared!


HACIENDA

Hacienda Phase 2 is now accepting Reservation Fees. The minimum lot area is 350sqm @ Php4,500.00 per sqm. That's cheap, if you ask me. The subdivision comes with a clubhouse, swimming pool, basketball court, park and playground. Hey, don't wait too long because we only have 69 lots available! Email me now through: lea@davaoproperties.com .

Model Houses are the following:

     http://www.davaoproperties.com/HFS-182.html
     http://www.davaoproperties.com/HFS-186.html
     http://www.davaoproperties.com/HFS-355.html
     http://www.davaoproperties.com/HFS-373.html

Please note that the model houses above come with a 150sqm lot only. Price adjustments will be done after computing the actual lot area available.

For more details, please email me now through - lea@davaoproperties.com.

Thank you very much!




Lea C. Walker
REBL XI-06-361

Mindanao... (Part 3)

Another beautiful place in Mindanao that John and I visited was the Island of Camiguin in 2008. It's been years since then but the memories are still very fresh in my mind. The place for me, is mystical. There's an air of calmness about the island that any tourist,  looking for a nature trip, would enjoy.

True, the place is packed with travellers specially on holy week, but it didn't feel "tourist-y". It felt like time stood still when we were there. I wrote about it a month or so ago here:

        http://leawalker.blogspot.com/2011/09/camiguinanother-magical-island-in.html

       http://leawalker.blogspot.com/2011/09/camiguin-part-2.html

In 2009, we had another road trip. But this time, we went the other way around.

We left Davao around 5 in the morning. By sunrise, we were already in Tagum. We thought we'd leave early because we didn't know exactly where we were going or where we will stay, for that matter. :) We just wanted to drive and see the country side. Since it's holy week season, we thought we'd spend a quiet time somewhere else.

We decided to head towards Butuan. The highway was quiet, for a change. We were the only travellers on the road. So John just drove leisurely up the snake like road in Mawab. I like that area because it's overlooking Agusan River. Well, I've always thought of going to Agusan Marsh but I'm scared to ride in their little boat.  I don't know how to swim! Plus of course, we have to remember Lolong, the giant croc the locals caught. hehe..  (Seriously though, if there's a group who would like to go there, please let  me come along. :)

One of the best views I like is the river in Prosperidad. The water is so calm and still. With the huge trees in the river bank, it just looks picture perfect to me. I asked John to park beside the road so I can take photos of it.

It's just too bad that I lost all the pictures I took on that trip. But I'm glad that I submitted some at imagesphilippines.com . So I'm able to recover 2 of my photos.

     Thank you imagesPhilippines for keeping my photo. I love this river in Prosperidad, Agusan.

Around 2 in the afternoon, John and I arrived in Butuan. We searched for hotels and decided to stay at Almont Inland Hotel.  What I like about it is their room. It's huge! And the price of Php2,400.00 per night comes with a free breakfast. Everytime we travel, John packs his own coffee. But he never used the one we brought  on that trip because the coffee at Almont was really good.

Hotel Photos: (I took these photos last year when we had a stop over from our Philippine Road Trip).

The next day, we headed towards Cagayan De Oro City. We had to stop in Gingoog City to buy softdrinks and other things. I'm glad we did because I found their park interesting. :) Again, I took this photo from the ones I submitted at imagesPhilippines.

                                  Giant fruits at the park of Gingoog City, Philippines. :)


And then, we reached Duka Bay. I read about it online, specially their glass bottom boat.

Duka Bay Resort is in Medina, Misamis Oriental. The owners have protected the corals. So colorful tropical fishes abound in the area. Don't worry if you do not know how to swim like me. :) Because you can see those with their glass bottom boat. Cool right?

The place was packed with people. Not just Filipinos but foreigners alike.

The villas look dated but the view , the beach and the corals more than compensated for it. For more details about the resort, please check this link - http://www.dukabay.com/about.html

I hope someday that I will be able to go back there. I know better this time, save everything in 2 hard drives. So that when one crashes, the other one is still intact. It's ok though, even if I lost the photos, no one can take the memories embedded in my heart and mind.

Misamis Oriental is just an hour or so away from Cagayan. But since, we had nothing else to do there, John and I stopped at Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon the next day.

Del Monte Pineapple Plantation is there. We read online that the cows they grow are being fed with pineapples. So we couldn't help but wonder how it would taste.

So off we went to the clubhouse. Their restaurant serves a lot of food but their specialty is the steak. The verdict? It's one of best steaks I've ever tasted.

You know, since it was holy week, I thought that it would be quiet. I was wrong! The place was full of golfers. And the restaurant was busy serving lunch. In fact I saw several Davaoeno's there too. :)

I guess, everybody wanted to forget about work huh?!

That was where I first rode a horse. I was scared of course! But the guide patiently led me until I felt comfortable with it. I thought that this is how Mikee Cojuangco probably feels when she's riding in a horse. I don't know... But it felt so wonderful riding one , enjoying at the same time the view of the valleys and the fresh air.

Did I tell you that I love pine trees? Del Monte clubhouse is surrounded by it. The place is so beautiful I have no words for it. I am just glad that John and I were given the chance to experience it.

We headed towards Davao late in the afternoon. By the time we reached Buda, it was already dark. But it didn't stop me from buying vegetables. Lots of them. Can't help it! They're so cheap. :) So I bought sayote, eggplant, squash, string beans, potatoes , cauliflower, etc for the family and our staff. Do you know that cucumber is like P2 each only in Buda?

This is the reason why I write. It makes me remember the fond memories I had. And in the process, it makes me feel better. And relaxed.

Again, let me tell the whole world. Give Mindanao a chance. Who knows, you just might like it and stay... :)




                                                             Lea C. Walker
                                                      leawalker.blogspot.com
                                                    www.davaoproperties.com




                        

Mindanao.. A Misunderstood Paradise (Part 2)

Year 2003:

My sisters, our driver and I left for Cagayan De Oro City via Bukidnon around 4 in the afternoon to purchase stocks for our ukay-ukay store. We've done this several times already so it did not bother us. We would have wanted to leave earlier but we were all busy with work. So our only option was to leave late from Davao, stay overnight in Cagayan and go back to Davao the next day. :)

Most people would get scared trekking the pitch black road of Buda at night. But we loved it because it's cooler. The thick fog would envelope the road so we will just leave the van windows open, wear our jackets and enjoy the fresh and cool breeze. It was perfect.

And then it rained....

We couldn't see much of the road anymore. So we told Boyet to just drive slowly and carefully. After hours on the road, we still have not seen lights. So we all wondered if we were lost. Our conversations went:

   Me      : Yet, sigurado ka wala ta nawala? (Yet, are you sure we are not lost?)

  Boyet   :  Sigurado te oi. (I'm sure te.)

  Me       :  Ok.

  Pearlie :  Pag naay sign yet, basaha niya ha. (If you find a sign yet, read it.. )

  Boyet  :  Yes te.

  Daisy  :  Murag nawala jud ta.. (I think we're lost.. )

  Me      :  Wala kaya ta naliko going Cotabato yet? (Maybe we turned towards Cotabato yet?)

  Boyet  : (speaking to all of us) Ate, Capa City naa sa sign... (Ate, the sign said Capa City.)

  Me      : Ha? Wala man Capa City di ba? (Huh? There's no Capa City , right?) - asking both Pearlie

               and Daisy.

 

Both of my sisters answered worriedly,  none.

And then Daisy started chuckling. She realized that we just passed by a bridge. And it usually states its CAPACITY. Get what I mean? hahaha

That's what happens when you travel with crazy girls huh? It has been years since then, but everytime we go to Bukidnon, we would remember that rainy night and start laughing all over again. :)

"Buda" is short for Bukidnon-Davao road.  It's the shortest route going to Cagayan De Oro City. The view is amazing.  The most beautiful one I've seen was when we were on top of Quezon early in the morning and the mountains below us were covered with clouds. It felt surreal, as if we were  in a dream...

             Pinetrees at Seagull Mountain Resort.

                                                    Dahlia. Taken in Buda, Philippines.

 I love the pine trees, the flowers and ornamental plants being sold by the road vendors. The fresh vegetables in Marilog District and near the boundary of Quezon, they're so cheap we always make it a point to stop and buy some.


Random Photos:

To protect the vegetables and other products of Bukidnon from foot and mouth disease, everyone is asked to pass through the quarantine in Lorega.

                               One of the Nipa Huts I saw in Marilog District. I love the design.

                                             Praying Man. Wood carvings in Bukidnon.

                                                        I like his smile. :)

         

                                                      The Lake in Maramag.  

                    One of the many pools in RR Spring Resort, Maramag, Bukidnon.

Pineapple Plantation at Manolo Fortich.My sisters and I with Franco and Marco.  Photo courtesy of my brother inlaw , Ruben.

                        Looks like "Grand Canyon" huh?    Bukidnon, Philippines.


Things To Do in Bukidnon:

  Visit Epol Waterfalls - we did this years ago with the whole family. Going down to the falls is easy.
                                       But mama almost collapsed going up. :( So if you're not up to it, don't force
                                       yourself. The waterfalls is very beautiful. :)


  Visit the Church of Transfiguration in Malay-Balay, Bukidnon. 

  RR Spring Resort - it's the newest resort in Maramag. They have nice accomodation. :)

  Del Monte Pineapple Plantation - NEVER MISS THEIR STEAK! It's so tender and yummy. Then make  sure that you try horse back riding. With the view of the valleys and the fresh air, it's perfect!

    Meet the Lumads - talk to them. :)

 

                     They make those necklaces and sell them cheaply. :)                 

             
  Dine at Seagull Mountain Resort. I love their coleslaw! And do not forget, they also have waterfalls and a swimming pool.  So bring your swimming gear. :)

  Buy flowers and vegetables on the road! Enjoy the cool weather and embrace the fog...  Beautiful Bukidnon, indeed!




                                                               Lea C. Walker
                                                           leawalker.blogspot.com
                                                         www.davaoproperties.com









 
 

 

 
                                       




 

Mindanao... A Misunderstood Paradise (Part 1)

Mindanao is often on tv or newspapers. Not because of our wonderful mountains, gorgeous beaches, beautiful and picturesque landscapes but because of what's going on in Basilan. Yes, it is part of Mindanao but if you look at your maps, it is just a small part of it. 


So I am hoping that through my Mindanao series, people from all over the world will understand that

no, we do not live in a killing field!

I'll start with my hometown, Davao. The first time my husband  John came to the Philippines,  on board the plane en route to Manila, an overseas filipina worker sitting beside him, told him not to go to Davao or he'll get kidnapped and might get beheaded. lol 

I'm sorry but I couldn't help but laugh when he told me about it. Jokingly, I congratulated him for visiting me despite of what he heard and read. I mean, you know , you have to be really , really brave to come to Mindanao right? hahaha  ... No, I am not being sarcastic. lol

I find it frustrating that even co-filipinos are obviously  strangers to our own country. Judgement is done based on what's in the news. It is sad because a lot of people are missing the chance to visit and enjoy what our province and its people has to offer.

If only they knew ... Davao is such a beautiful place to live in. We have no typhoons here. We have an abundant supply of seafoods. :)  Each month brings  different varieties of fruit - durian, pomelo, mangoes, mangosteen, etc. Making them cheaper than most cities in the Philippines since they are locally grown.

That's why we celebrate Kadayawan Festival on August of each year as thanksgiving  for the abundant bounty we receive, year after year...  

When the news kept on saying that there's a shortage of rice a few years ago, I was like "what are you talking about"? We have abundant supply of that here! You see, we get our rice mostly from Davao Oriental.

            Ricefield in Banay-Banay, Davao Oriental.  As far as the eyes can see. :)

And our previous Mayor, Rody R. Duterte, rides in a taxi pretending to be a passenger at nights, to check what's going on with the City. (And no, there is no entourage of body guards with him.  )  So yeah, even foreigners living in Davao , will tell you that it is safer here than most cities in the western world. :) Also, Davao is the only city in the Philippines that has 911. That's one of the best legacies Mayor Rody left to Davaoenos before he became a Vice Mayor.

Davao is home to the highest mountain in the Philippines, Mt. Apo. I had the chance to visit Kapatagan , Davao del Sur last month. And there I stood for awhile, watching the majestic beauty of the Philippine's tallest mountain. The place has a cool temperature which reminded me of Eden and Buda.

                                                  Mt. Apo. Photo courtesy of my sister, Pearlie.

NOTE: If you want a clear picture of Mt. Apo, be sure to take one early in the morning. After that, it gets enveloped with clouds and thick fog.


Our city is also the home of Pag-asa, the monkey-eating eagle which was born at the Philippine Eagle center in Calinan. And the world famous Waling-waling, aptly known as the queen of all flowers.

The nearby Island Garden City of Samal boasts of its white sand beaches with beautiful corals underneath.

        Kaputian Beach Park, taken while we were on the boat, coming back from a boat tour.
                      (Boat Fee: P800.00             Entrance Fee: P10.00 per head)

     This is the garden in Samal. The corals at the Vanishing Island in Kaputian. :)

Samal is also famous for its batcave. A sanctuary for millions of fruit bats.

Then, there's Hagimit Falls , which the LGU developed into a beautiful resort.

One of the many "mini-cascades" in Hagimit Falls. Taken on October, 2011.

Of course, who haven't heard of Pearl Farm Resort? It is expensive, yes. But you get what you pay for. My nephews love the beach and their infinity pool!

                                        Matt and Blaire at the Infinity Pool of Pearl Farm.


Davao is the business center of Mindanao so yes, we have an international airport. We have an international seaport as well. It is a big city with all the comforts it has to offer, less the terrible traffic I hate in Manila. Sorry Manila friends, I just can't stand the smoke and the traffic there. :)


Yes, it's a busy city. But we live a laid back lifestyle. To borrow the city's phrase - Davao, life is here!

I couldn't agree more... If you don't come and visit our place, it is your loss. (winks :)






                                                        Lea C. Walker
                                                  leawalker.blogspot.com
                                                www.davaoproperties.com

A Day in Samal... (The Farm and Hagimit Falls)

I had a date yesterday. Not with John. :)

But with mama...

It all started when she mentioned that she wanted to check my sister's farm in Samal. I told her ," I'll go with you Ma". I didn't even give her the chance to agree or decline at all. haha...

The past two months have been toxic. And hazardous. To my health, that is... :) So I welcomed each chance to unwind, in whatever way possible.

So off we went to Samal. Since it was just the two of us, we decided to commute. I am glad that we did because I can now tell you how much it costs when you go there without bringing a vehicle.

At the ferry port in Sasa, we paid P10.00 each for the fare. I found out that it can be done. You don't have to wait for the bus, specially if you have a transportation means when you reach Samal. In our case, we had. Manong Marcelo was waiting for us on the other side.

                                   The passenger entrance at the ferry boat port in Km. 11, Sasa.

         Kids less than 5 years old are free. :)  More than that, it's P10.00 per head to ride the ferry.

                                                   The view from the deck.

                                                                     Davao Port.


We sat on the 2nd floor of the ferry boat, so I was able to get several photos with unobstructed view.

                                                                  Davao Gulf.

                                                The beach resort of Camp Holiday.

Ten minutes later, we arrived in Samal. The sea was calm. The sun shone brightly. It was a perfectly good trip for us.

After seeing Manong Marcelo, we then proceeded to the farm. My sister, Daisy , bought it in 2004. So the mangoes we planted then, are all grown up now. :) What I love about it is that it's on top, so we get a beautiful view of the sea and the mountains. The air is so fresh, I could sleep in a hammock , if we had more time. I find it also amazing because even if it's on top, we have a flowing water coming from an underground spring. :)

                                                          This is the view from Daisy's farm.

                                                          Mama's trying to relax. :)

After taking care of business at the farm, we went to Penaplata for lunch. Since we finished early, I thought that we had time to visit Hagimit Falls. The old photos I took a long time ago was lost when John's hard drive crashed.

You know, I am glad that I thought of checking it, because Hagimit Falls is now very different from what it used to be. The local government developed huts and cottages around the mini cascades and the river, giving the people a nice swimming area and a cool, refreshing resting place . They also put a stair which made it a lot easier going up and down the waterfalls.

Random Photos of Hagimit Falls:

                                                      The Entrance to Hagimit Falls.

                                                                Going down the stairs.

If you're wondering why mama is wearing a jacket, that's because we were riding in a motorcycle. We had to cover ourselves from the scorching heat of the sun. I am glad I brought a scarf, big enough to cover myself too. With the scarf and the sunblock, my skin didn't burn from our trip yesterday. :)

     This is what greeted me when I reached the bottom of the stairs. Beautiful and so relaxing...


I stopped, sat on a rock and waded my feet in its very cool water. I thought that this is a perfect location for a family outing.

         I found these kids frolicking in the pool-like basin... Check the diving boy. :)

                                    I love this bridge... :) Specially with the bamboo tree beside it!

The entrance fee is Php40.00 per head for adults. While P20.00 per head for kids ages 2-6 .

Cottage Costs:

If you want a souvenir  of your Hagimit experience, worry not because they now have stores/shops outside the entrance. I was so happy to see those. Samal is now starting to become like Camiguin or Bohol... :)

Going home, we asked Manong Marcelo to take us to Penaplata Bus Station. Since we asked Dandan to pick us up at the ferry port, we paid P30.00 only for the bus fare. That's from Penaplata to Davao port.

So for those who want to relax in a cool way (literally) :) , head towards Hagimit Falls in Samal Island now.

PS. Manong  Marcelo has been working for us for more than a decade now. If you need a motorcycle driver in Samal, email me so I can give you his contact info.

                                             

                                                          Lea C. Walker

                                                   leawalker.blogspot.com

                                                 www.davaoproperties.com